1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for evacuating an own vehicle upon detecting reduction of consciousness of the driver of the own vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
There is known a technique for evacuating an own vehicle to a road shoulder area using a travel assist system to secure the safety of the own vehicle and other vehicles when the level of the consciousness of the driver of the own vehicle is reduced due to drowsiness, for example, or the driver has lost the consciousness for some reason. For example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2007-331652.
However, since this technique places importance on avoiding the own vehicle from obstructing the travel of other vehicles in determining a place for evacuation, there may occur a problem that the own vehicle may be parked at a place in which a guardrail or a wall is present and accordingly it is difficult to let a sick person exit from the own vehicle or difficult for the passengers to get out of the own vehicle.